Video of Shirley Chisholm announcing her 1972 presidential campaign, becoming the first Black candidate under the Democratic Party.
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President John F. Kennedy speaks at the 1964 World’s Fair site in Queens in 1962, ahead of the event marked by innovation and protest.
Watch Malcolm X speaking at a Nation of Islam rally, less than a year before his split from the organization to form Muslim Mosque, Inc and the Organization of Afro-American Unity.
Map showing farmland owned by formerly enslaved New Yorkers, with each plot labeled with the owner’s name.
P. T. Barnum’s Barnum & Bailey Circus, later merged with Ringling Brothers, was famed for its animal acts and unusual exhibits, iconic to New York audiences.
On February 3, 1964, more than 450,000 students boycotted NYC schools to protest segregation, creating one of the largest civil rights demonstrations.
Chinatown residents march in 1937 Friends of China Parade celebrating Chinese heritage and protesting Japanese occupation.
Collage featuring the Unisphere at Flushing Meadows Park and street scenes from Flushing and Jackson Heights, highlighting the vibrancy of Queens.
Sample 2025 Democratic primary ballot showing ranked choice voting for Mayor, Comptroller, and Borough President.
Anti-graffiti ads from the Koch administration featuring celebrities, part of NYC’s 1980s campaign to discourage graffiti.
1988 Brooklyn Unity Campaign launched by Borough President Howard Golden to celebrate diversity and foster community dialogue.
Experience New York City’s first Earth Day celebration in 1970, as diverse crowds gathered in Union Square for teach-ins, art, music, and park clean-up efforts.